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About the rollout

The government wants energy suppliers to install smart meters in every home in England, Wales and Scotland. There are more than 26 million homes for the energy suppliers to get to, with the goal of every home having a smart meter by 2020.

Why the rollout?

The European Union asked all member governments to look at smart meters as part of measures to upgrade our energy supply and tackle climate change. After an initial study, the British government decided to adopt smart meters as part of their plan to update our ageing energy system.

They’ll give you more control over your energy use, help you understand your bills and allow you to see what the energy you use is costing you. Smart meters will also benefit Britain as a whole.

It's up to all of us

Smart meters aren’t compulsory and people can choose not to have one. That means the national rollout won’t just happen automatically. To help spread the message about the benefits of smart meters, we all need to become active and enthusiastic about them.

An overview of the smart meter national rollout

FAQs

Have other countries already got smart meters?

The United States, Canada, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands are among the countries already benefiting from smart meters and most other EU countries are currently rolling them out.

Are smart meters compulsory?

Smart meters are not compulsory; it's entirely your choice. The government requires energy suppliers to offer smart meters to all homes and small businesses across Great Britain by 2020, but whether you accept them is completely up to you. More than four in five people who have a smart meter say they would recommend one.